Yost downplays rivalry with Cubs

Fans cheer Capuano shutout as Brewers dominate throughout

July 07, 2006|By Paul Sullivan, Tribune staff reporter.

Milwaukee manager Ned Yost maintains that beating the Cubs is really no big deal for the Brewers.

"We don't get up for this one any more than we do any other game," Yost said before Thursday's game. "To be honest, they're all important. There's a bit of natural rivalry, just because of the proximity of the teams, but I don't think we get any more satisfaction out of beating the Cubs than anyone else."

The Brewers have won seven of nine games against the Cubs this year, and left-hander Chris Capuano is vying with Carlos Lee as a Cubs-killer.

Capuano outdueled Greg Maddux with a complete-game shutout in the Brewers' 2-0 victory over the Cubs, improving to 3-0 against them this season with 26 consecutive scoreless innings in his three starts.

"It's tough to shut out a team twice," Maddux said. "But three times? You tip your hat."

Maddux's record is now 7-9 and he's 0-4 in his last five starts, with his last victory coming June 9 in Cincinnati.

Capuano shut the Cubs down on six hits, while Maddux allowed six hits in six innings, including Rickie Weeks' RBI double and Geoff Jenkins' run-scoring single in the Brewers' two-run fifth.

"You have to do your own thing and not worry about the other guy," Maddux said. "I made a couple mistakes, and he didn't."

Are there any signs the Cubs are playing better?

"We're not playing like it?" Maddux said. "We'll see. Guys are still playing hard. The attitude is still good. That's the beauty of baseball. There's always tomorrow."

The Cubs have lost 18 of 23 games and interest in them is declining daily.

While there were many Cubs fans in the crowd of 37,326 at Miller Park, the group was smaller than the ones that have driven up Interstate Highway 94 in the past.

The Brewers fans outnumbered their rivals, not that it mattered to Yost.

"You have to feel the energy in the stands," Yost said. "You don't really hear it once you're concentrating on the game."